Workplace problems are inevitable. A faculty member might want
to discuss a problem with an employee in the lab. Or he or she may
be concerned about a financial or research issue or sexual behavior
in the workplace. Or perhaps a conflict between two people has
resulted in arguments over which figures to use in a research
paper.

School of Medicine faculty and staff have several resources
available to help them resolve problems. Martha McKee, ombudsperson
at the medical school, and Ellen Waxman, the recently appointed
director of faculty relations, are among the resources available to
those affiliated with the School of Medicine.

Ellen
Waxman (left) and Martha McKee have complementary roles in the
medical center. While some of their duties overlap, the differences
in their roles, for example with regard to confidentiality, are
substantial. Photo: Visual Arts
Services

Waxman served as the School of Medicine ombudsperson from
1995-96. Since then, she has served as the ombudsperson for the
university. Her newest position was created to help the
dean’s office address faculty issues, investigate faculty
matters and promote career development and training for
faculty.

Although they have similar backgrounds, Waxman and McKee have
distinct and different roles to play within the medical school.
Among the differences between their jobs, both agree, is that the
ombudsperson is a designated neutral resource, someone who does not
take sides or act in an official capacity.

The
ombudsperson also works under absolute confidentiality, whereas
Waxman, as a university officer, must consider the interests of the
dean’s office and the university and would not be able to
serve as a confidential sounding board.

"The
position of director of faculty relations will be developing
proactive initiatives," Waxman said. "The primary initiative right
now is to create a faculty leadership development program in
conjunction with the hospitals."

Waxman pointed out that although faculty members are often
required to oversee several staff and significant amounts of money,
few have substantial management training.

"You
arrive and immediately begin to manage staff, postdoctoral fellows
and graduate students in a lab and you are required to enforce
policies, hire staff and manage performance," Waxman said. "The
dean’s office is planning a variety of training programs to
address these concerns about managing people. Faculty members need
to know they can consult with the dean’s office about such
management issues."

McKee agreed on the advantages of training faculty members in
management issues before problems arise. "Ellen’s position in
the dean’s office is one I have been advocating for a long
time. The complexity and the sensitivity of many of these issues
has led me to believe that the faculty need more resources much
like staff have in human resources," she said.

As
ombudsperson, McKee is by definition a confidential sounding board
and an information resource for people who need to explore the
dimensions of a problem or to be a neutral mediator between
parties. In Waxman’s role as director of faculty relations,
she can also act as a sounding board, but she maintains her
official duty within the dean’s office to make
recommendations or take action as needed.

"While I respect confidences and try to act fairly, my job is
not as a neutral, confidential resource." Waxman said. "There are
certain statements, such as allegations of sexual harassment or
discrimination, that if I hear them, then Stanford has heard them."
The same is not necessarily true for an ombudsperson.

Waxman’s official affiliation translates into concrete
actions. "If there is something that needs to be looked into, like
faculty misconduct, I will formally investigate that," she said.
"My advice is to consult with Martha if you want to explore what to
do and come to me when you are ready to access the dean’s
office for a concrete action."

"If
you do not know where to go, then my office is the place to start,"
McKee advised.

An
example of a problem that is appropriate for the ombudsperson
office may be faculty member who has a sensitive issue he or she
does not wish to share with anyone in the university.

Perhaps this person may be concerned about a consensual
relationship that is developing within a division and may seek a
confidential discussion before taking any action.

After going over details with the ombudsperson, the faculty
member might then choose to have the dean’s office involved
and the director of faculty relations provide for a directed
training on the new policy on consensual relationships in the
workplace, McKee said. A visit to the ombudsperson is a way to have
a confidential discussion about the options available before
committing to any one particular course of action.

In
short, the two emphasized that while both strive to resolve
problems informally, the ombudsperson is a confidential, neutral
and independent resource, whereas the director of faculty relations
acts on an official level for the school.